Most Iowans are lucky to have a single bookstore in their neighborhood. As of December, Cedar Rapids’ Czech Village has two. Sisters Books and Nooks debuted in September, founded by friends Jamie Sharar and Sarah Danielson, who call themselves “sisters by choice.” Three months later, sisters-by-birth Lindsay and Jaymie McGrath opened I’ll Meet You There […]
Eastern Iowa
Posted inArts & Entertainment
En Español: “Raza Maldita,” a poem in Spanish and English
Nadie decide donde nacer, que manos y piernas tener, con que oídos oír o con que ojos ver Algunos nos enaltece el génesis de la sangre y otros cuantos la esconden, guardando en el fondo las semillas de quienes son y fueron ¿Acaso se sonroja o sufre el halcón, delfín, o escorpión por llevar […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Margaret Cho discusses performing in red states, conservative comedians and the benefits of bombing onstage
It’s been said that you should never meet your heroes. However, as a workaholic Asian-American trying to make her way in the comedy world from the heart of Iowa, I’ve never been one for listening to the word “should.” So, when I had an opportunity to have a conversation with comedy icon Margaret Cho, I had to go for it.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Iowa Stage Theatre’s ‘The Seagull’ is Chekhov with a modern soundtrack — and it’s fantastic
I went into The Seagull with some dread. I’ve never been a big fan of Anton Chekhov. The Russian playwright is one of the most influential figures within his medium, likely known to even non-theater-goers by virtue of the concept of “Chekhov’s gun.” His reputation as one of the greatest playwrights of all time is […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: Descendants lead Q.C. punk fans in a night of aggression and joy, joined by Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, Nobro
This past Saturday was St. Patrick’s Day in the Quad Cities, which boasts the only bi-state St. Patrick’s Day parade in the United States. The occasion saw hundreds of people dressed in green and imbibing drinks throughout the day. As a veteran bartender, I know that the madness of St. Patrick’s calms by roughly 6 […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Andre Perry hopes Stop/Time celebrates the ‘spirit of innovation’ Iowa City artists and festival-goers embrace
I first met Perry standing in front of the bar at The Mill (R.I.P.). He was memorable for his manner: he pays attention, asks probing questions, looks you in the eye and seems to actually care about what you say. At the time he had a band, The LonelyHearts, and was working on an MFA in […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
Iowa City warns about email scam targeting residents
An old scam is spreading again in the Iowa City area, the city warned residents on Tuesday. Scammers are sending authentic-looking emails that appear to be from city employees trying to collect fees or payments for city services, according to a news release. In a recent incident, a resident received an email containing what appeared […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
The Free Art Studio finds a new space for their weekly ‘bad art’ workshops in Iowa City
The Free Art Studio, an Iowa City organization that strives to make art accessible for all, held their first workshop in their new home, the Ned Ashton House, on March 8. The studio was previously housed in Iowa City’s Wright House of Fashion. With help from a variety of community members, Lauren Simmering and Penelope […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
237 Collective to mark its new nonprofit status with a cozy night of poetry and storytelling in Cedar Rapids
“We began as a local art gallery and supply shop and quickly realized there was a gap to fill in Cedar Rapids around community connection,” Long-Williams said. Eventually, “we began exploring what it would look like for 237 to be a nonprofit, and after two years, have officially made the transition.”
Posted inCommunity/News
On supply runs to Minneapolis, Iowa City local Charlie Morris saw ICE terror, mass resistance efforts firsthand
On Sunday, Feb. 15, a van with tinted windows sat in the median of an expressway 10 minutes outside Minneapolis. It idled in a Michigan left usually reserved for law enforcement personnel, one that allows for quick pull-outs and pull-overs. But unlike police cars, this van didn’t have any lights or sirens — it was […]
Posted inCommunity/News
With a losing record and low ticket sales, the Iowa Heartlanders will skip the 2026-27 hockey season
The Iowa Heartlanders will not be on the ice for the 2026-27 season, the team’s ownership group announced on Monday, after the ECHL Board of Governors approved the group’s request for “a voluntary suspension of operations.” “This was an incredibly difficult decision that followed months of careful evaluation,” Michael Devlin, the team’s majority owner, said […]
Posted inCommunity/News
After flipping vinyl to pay for film school, Isaac Smith now operates a store of his own: Zig Zog’s Records in North Liberty
The vinyl collector bug bit Isaac Smith hard after he asked his parents for a turntable on his 13th birthday. After acquiring a few thousand records since that pivotal moment in 2015, the Bettendorf native recently opened a record store of his own in North Liberty. Zig Zog’s Records is the realization of a pipe […]
